Seal-lock



(No Model.)

G. E. LEE 8n W. G. HOYT.

SEAL LOCK.

No. 591,407. I Patented Oct. 12,1897.

1,[ Egg ,3": 57 5 1 IPIJEIJTDRS. wium a PATENT EEICE.

CHARLES E. LEE, OF NASHUA,

AND WILLIAM (l I-IOYT, OF MERRIMAC, NEW

HAMPSHIRE.

SEAL-LOCK.

v SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 591,407, dated October 12, 1897. Application filed June 21, 1897. Serial No. 641,592. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES E. LEE, re-

siding in Nashua, and WILLI M C. HOYT, residing in Merrimac, county of Hillsborough, State of New Hampshire, citizens of the United States, have invented new and useful Improvements in Freight-Oar Seals, of which the following is a specification.

This is an improved seal adapted especially for use on freight-cars, although it may be applied to any receptacle containing merchandise in transportation where it will be of service;

v It has forits principal objects, first, to pro vide perfect legibility, thus obviating a great objection to ordinary lead seals; second, to render it impossible that the seal should be tampered with without destroying it; third, to make the seal sufficiently strong .to prevent accidental breakage, and, fourth, to construct a seal having the above-named advantages economically.

. The nature of our invention is fully described below, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of our improved device applied to a freight-car, portions of the door and jamb of the car being shown. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the seal proper or tag removed.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents a portion of the door of a freight-car, and B a portion of the jamb.

G is a horizontal plate secured to the door I A by suitablebolts a and held by nuts 0., ap-

plied on the inside of thedoor. This plate or base is formed with two transverse bridges D and E. The object of the bridge D is to conceal the consecutive number on the seal or tag, as below described, and the 0b- ,ject of the bridge E is to conceal the bolt or latch F, Fig. 2, which projects normally into the space between the plate and the bridge E -by meansof a spring f, which encircles the shank F of the bolt between said bolt and the washer g. Provision is made for this latch or bolt by forming a tubular chamber 0 on and extending rearward from the plate 0 into a suitable recess constructed in the This the "seal a longitudinal slot P is formed, broadened at its inner end at P to receive the head of the bolt K. Between the slot and the other end of the seal is the number of the station from which the'car thus sealed is sent, in this instance B A 1217,, and

what is termed the consecutive number that is to say, the private number designating this particular seal,'in this instance. 375. In practical operation when a car is to be sent from certain station on a certain road, such as the particular station or town known as B & A 1217, by the official who uses the consecutive number 375, the marks B 85 A 1217 and 375 are stamped on or otherwise applied upon the outer surface of the seal or tin tag L. In the drawings these marks are in raised letters. The tag is then placed over and around the bolt K by means of the broad end P of the slot P, and its end slid under the bridge E, pressing back the latch F, whose beveled edge faces the approaching seal-or tag. When the portion P of the slot reaches the latch, said latch slips through it and locks the tag or seal securely, the neck K of the bolt K lying in the slot P neXt its outer end. In this position the station number is in plain sight between the bridges E and D, the consecutive number is concealed by the bridge D, and the latch or bolt F is concealed by the bridge E.

It is evident that the seal L cannot be withdrawn without destroying it or utterly breaking the apparatus. Hence tampering with it without detection is practically impossible.

rear end and filed away for reference. Longitudinal, vertical, and lateral relative motion of the bolt K and seal L are provided for by the swinging and vertical play of said bolt on the staple H.

It will readily be seen that as the characters on this seal may be printed thereon or punched or perforated therein there is no danger of illegibility, as is the case in lead seals with impressions stamped thereon. The strength of the seal is sufficient to prevent accidental breakage, and its economy when made by the quantity is apparent. It may be applied not only to freight-cars, but to packages or receptacles of any kind for containing merchandise in transit.

If desired, a supplemental card or tag may be secured to the seal L by means of the lips L, and have printed upon it the characters above mentioned as being applied directly to the seal.

The device may be used in sealing goods not only in transportation, but in storage, bond, the.

Having thus fully described our invention, What we claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is-

1. In an apparatus for sealing freight-cars and other receptacles for merchandise, a seal or tag consisting of the metallic strip L provided with the longitudinal slot P formed with an enlarged end P, said strip being provided With suitable characters identifyin-g the seal; a locking device adapted to be secured to the door or opening portion of the receptacle, and provided with a bolt adapted to extend through the enlarged portion of said slot in the seal; a bridge formed on said looking device and extending over and concealing the bolt; and a securing device extending from the jamb or body portion of the receptacle through and over the edges of said slot in the seal, substantially as set forth.

2. In an apparatus for sealing freight-cars and other receptacles for merchandise, a seal or tag consisting of the metallic strip L provided with the longitudinal slot P formed with an enlarged end P, said strip beingprovided with suitable characters identifying the I seal; a locking device adapted to be secured .tothe. door or opening portion of the receptacle, and provided with a bolt adapted to extend through the enlarged portion of said slot in the seal; a bridge formed on said looking device and extending over and concealing the bolt; the staple H secured to the jamb or body portion of the receptacle; and the bolt K loose upon said staple and adapted to both swing and slide thereon, said bolt being formed with the neck K and head K for engagement with said slot in the seal, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus for sealing freight-cars and other receptacles for merchandise, a seal or tag consisting of the metallic strip L provided with the longitudinal slot 1 formed with an enlarged end P, said strip being provided with suitable characters identifying the seal a locking device adapted to be secured to the door-or opening portion of the receptacle, and provided with a bolt adapted to extend through the enlarged portion of said slot in the seal; a bridge formed on said looking device and extending over and concealing the bolt; a second bridge formed on the locking device and extending over and con; cealing the private characters thereon; and a securing device extending from the jamb or body portion of the receptacle through and over the edges of said slot inthe seal, substantially as set forth.

CHARLES E. LEE. XVILLIAM O. HOYT. W'itnesses:

JERRIE W. WHEELER, MICHAEL J. CoNRoY. 

